Many skin conditions for example thread veins and age spots can adversely affect the appearance of individuals. Various cosmetic and surgical techniques have therefore been developed to address these conditions. Thus for example the appearance of thread veins can be minimised through laser cauterisation of the affected blood vessels. Similarly the appearance of age spots can be addressed through the application of an acid peel.
In order to determine whether a particular intervention is worth pursuing, it is useful for an individual to be given an indication of the likely results of the intervention prior to undertaking a course of treatment. It is desirable that such representations are as accurate as possible. There is therefore a need for image processing methods and apparatus which enable such images to be generated in such a way that they can be more accurate representations of the likely results of an intervention than exists in the prior art.